Patrik Dinkel on course to take the title

The teams gathered in Stollberg in the Ore Mountains last weekend for the penultimate race in the German Rally Championship and the ADAC Masters. And Patrik Dinkel and Felix Kießling, who are still in contention for the title in the Masters, were also there.

Test drives around Jahnsdorf were scheduled for the Thursday evening – a good opportunity to adapt to the routes and weather conditions for the next two days. And that showed what the drivers would face: rain in huge quantities. That was also the undoing of Carsten Mohe, a rival in the Masters. His Renault Megane began to aquaplane, left the track and overturned. However, he and his co-pilot are doing well, considering the circumstances, although they were no longer able to line up for the race proper.

The first three trials were on agenda on the Friday evening, in the dark and on tracks that were wet from the rain. In particular the Jahnsdorf trial, with its demanding gravel passages, posed a difficult challenge for all participants.

“The rally was the toughest so far this year. The fact that it rained incessantly from start to finish and there was lots of mud didn’t make life easy for us. After touching a tree on trial 1, we were a little more restrained on the Friday, but still managed to clock the best time in the Masters on trial 3,” states Patrik.

The Saturday was no different, with rain and a lot of mud from the first trial on. A further eight trials were completed in its course. “The second day went well. We suffered a spin and small slip, but were nevertheless able to clock four best times and also annoy a few R5s on the gravel trial. We’re happy to have finished this rally in second.”

Ruben Zeltner with his wife Petra in a Porsche GT3 secured victory in the Masters.

“A huge thanks to my entire team, which did a top job the whole weekend in such tough conditions, as well as to all the sponsors and my co-pilot Felix,” said Dinkel at the finish.

Patrik and Felix now lead the table. So the objective for the season’s finale at the Three Towns Rally in two weeks’ time is clear: To drive sensibly and capture the title.